Ice fishing tip-up



Oct. 13, 1959 E. F. MOGREN 2,908,100

ICE FISHING TIP-UP Filed July 25, 1957 INVENT OR 7 75-6 Eben F Mag/"enATrRNEY Patent 2,908,100 ion FISHING TIP-UP Eben F. Mogren, Weaver,Minn. Application July 25, 1957, Serial No. 674,166

3 Claims. (Cl. 43-17) This invention relates to an improvement in icefishing tip-up and deals particularly with a signalling device whichprovides a visible indication when a fish takes the suspended bait.

In fishing through the ice, it is common practicefor the fisherman tocut a hole through the ice and to suspend a line bearing a hook and baitinto the water. The upper end of the line is often wound upon a reelwhich is secured from a considerable length. A spring strip is bent intoa loop and the free end of the spring is engaged in a suitable catchnear the top of the mast. When a sufiicient pull is exerted upon theline tending to rotate the reel, a projection on the reel pivots atrigger mechanism which disengages the free end of the spring strip fromthe catch and permits :the strip to spring up into substantiallyvertical position. Thus, an indication is provided when a fish is caughtupon the hook.

While such devices operate effectively, particularly in lakes wherethere is no particular current, some difficulties are experienced inusing the devices while fishing in rivers where the amount of currentmay vary. The problem is emphasized when a large minnow is used as baitas the pull upon the hook caused by the swimming of the minnow,particularly combined with the force of a current of water, is oftensuflicient to exert suflicient force upon the reel to operate thetrigger and thereby cause a false signal. It is the purpose of thepresent invention 'to provide a means of varying the force required tooperate the trigger to compensate for varying degrees of current as wellas varying sizes of minnows. In other words, if the bait is suspended ina portion of a river which has a relatively swift current and if aminnow of large size is to be used as bait, the apparatus may be adjusted so that more force is required to operate the trigger, thuspreventing the likelihood of false signals. On the other hand, if thebait is suspended in relatively calm waters and if a small minnow isused as bait, the force required to operate the trigger may bematerially reduced so that the apparatus will function properly invarying locations and under varying circumstances.

'A- feature of the present invention resides in the provision of an armwhich is preferably pivotally attached to the mast at a point adjoiningthe reel and in providing a means of applying an adjustable pressurethereagainst tending to resist pivotal movement of the arm. This arm isswingable against the trigger mechanism which is actuated by rotativemovement of the reel. Accordingly, in order to release the triggermechanism, it is necessary for this arm to be pivoted out of the way ofthe potion of the trigger mechanism actuated by the reel. As a result,there is an added resistance to actuation of the trigger mechanism bythe reel, thus preventing false signals in areas where the force of thecurrent normally exerts a considerable pull upon the line.

A feature of the present invention lies in the improvement of astructure such as that shown in Patent 2,651,- 875 to Brockman where theonly force which resists the unreeling of the line comprises thefriction in the trigger mechanism and the force required to disengagethe end of the spring from the trigger mechanism.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention willbe more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification andclaims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

Figure l is a perspective view of the tip-up device in readiness foruse, a portion of the spring being broken away to show the free end ofthe spring in signalling position.

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective View of the upper end of the deviceshown in Figure 1, and showing the spring in nonsignalling position. I

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the trigger mechanism shown inFigure 2.

v Figure 4 is a front elevational View of the lower portion of the mastshowing the portion of the trigger mechanism actuated by the reel.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the trigger mechanism inreel engaging position.

Figure 6 is a sectional view through a portion of the mast and thefriction supplying arm.

The tip-up is indicated in general by the letter A and includes avertical mast 10 which is pivotally connected by a clamping bolt 11 to apair of spanner members 12 arranged in spaced parallel relation onopposite sides of the mast 1t). Dowels such as 13 connect the ends ofthe spanner members 12 and serve as a means of holding these members inproper parallel relation. The spanner members 12 may swing into parallelrelation with the mast 10 when the device is not in use, the dowel 13 atone end extending beneath the lower end of the mast 10 and the otherdowel member extending in a notch 14 provided in the mast near the upperend thereof.

A reel 15 is mounted upon a central pivot 16 which extends into the mastand is anchored thereto. The reel 15 is provided with a projection 17extending beyond the diameter of the reel for the purpose of actuatingthe trigger mechanism which will be later described. A fish line 19 ofsuitable length is wound upon the reel 15 and'when partially unwoundtherefrom may be suspended from the reel. A hook 20 is shown on the line19, the hook being designed to support suitable bait such as a liveminnow. V I

A flat spring strip 21 is slidably supportedby the mast 10, this springstrip extending beneath a series of staples such as 22 which extend intothe mast 10. The lower end of the spring strip 21 is provided with ahook shaped extremity 23 which may spring beneath the lower staple 24 tolimit the upward sliding movement of the spring. When not in use, thisspring strip '21 slides downwardly along side of the mast so that thetip-up is compact when not in use.

A fixed catch 25 projects on the side of the mast opposite to that towhich the spring strip is slidably secured. The catch 25 includes atransversely extending extremity 26 which extends on a substantiallyhorizontal plane parallel to the surface of the mast 10 from which thecatch projects. The end of the springstrip 21 is angularly bent asindicated at 27 so as to permit the end of the spring strip to engageover the transverse portion 26 of the catch 25.

A generally U-shaped enclosure 29 extends vertically along the side ofthe mast from which the catch 25 projects, the enclosure being held inplace by suitable means such as by staples 30. The enclosure 29 acts asa journal for the vertically extending portion 31 of the triggermechanism which is indicated in general by the numeral 31. As is evidentfrom Figures 1 and 4 of the drawings, the trigger mechanism includes aright angularly turned lower extremity 32. The upper end of the verticalmember 30 extends through a screw eye 33 and then is bent one direction,it f 'anisrn dl'extend s. Acla'mPin'g bolt 42 extends through the center(3f the V 3 to form a downwardly opening V-shaped element 34 which isslightly above the level of the transverse portion 26 of the catch 25.This V-shaped member 34 is arranged with its apex 35 near the"surface ofthe mast and the v shaped manner .34 ts'n'e'srgnee'to' bridge 'the'Endof' the spring 21 whenthis spring"isengagedwiththetrailsversem'embf'26ofthe catch 25. The V-shaped member"34"'is"'rotatabl'e with the verticalmember "30 of the trigger mechanism and when the member 30 is turned in'rces the end 27 of the spring '21 out ofengagement 'with'the transversemember 26 of the g n h v "'As 'a'result of this arrangement, when thespring 26 is in looped form as shown in Figure 2 with its extremity '27"e'ngaged' with thd'c'atch. member 26, the Tight angunrry extending lowerand 32"pr'ojects forwardly" from the mast at substantially'rightiangles'thereto and'is in the path of movement of the projection17 onthe'ireel 15. Thus, the reel is prevented from unwinding by'engagement of the projection 17 against the trigg'er'e nd ofrivers,'the force of the current against the'ibait is sometimessuificient to cause a false signaL- Thisi's partichla rly truewhere livebait is used, for if a large'rhi'nnow is impaled u'pori'the hook,thejforce ofthis minn w swimming through the water may exert aconsiderahl'e signals and to provide an adjustable means ofr'esistiirigunwinding or the reel, I provide the mechanism indicated in generalby'jthe letterB and best illustrated iii'Fi'giires 4, an'd 6 of thedrawings. M

A"U-shapedbfra'cket 3'6 is mounted upon the mast If) by any suitablemeans "such" as by nails 37 exteiidirig tnroughthe parallel sides39 and40 of the u sha'ped jtriernber 36. "'Thehonnectirig' portion 41 of theUf-shaped lfi q lln iel ,6 is supported in spaced parallel relati e nltothe'surface of the mast "ove'r which the triggermeehconnecting member 41and supports friction washers 'sfich as 43 and 441 A retarding arm'45 isprovided with a'looped'enddli which also eneircles the clamping bolt 42between the friction washers 43 and M;- A

lelamping' nut 47 is provided upon the clamping bolt .42 ihyirneans of'Which' the friction washers may be engaged againstthe looped arrnend 46with any desired amount of friction, Obviously, thetighter the'clampingnut 47 is secured, the more will be the resistanceto the rotation 9f thearm 45 about its axis. Figure 5 of when the apparatus is set innon-signalling position with the .free end 27 of thespring .21 engagedwith thecatch member 26; In this position, the right angularly turnedlower'extrernity 32 of the trigger mec hanism is against the projection17 on the reel; and'the arm- AS-may jbe swung against this rightangularly turned end 32 of the trigger mechanism at a point spacedforwardly'from the roast 1i ;When thus arranged, the pull upon the line.19 tending to unreel line fromI-the reel is"-resisted not only by thefriction of the trigger mechanism'and the force required to disengagethe end' of'the spring 21 from the catch 25, but also by thefriction'al'erigagementbetween the arm '45 and the fr ti o'n "westernsexerted upon the line in order to 'unreel the line and the drawings .illnstrates the arrangement of the parts otall y mounte'd fatfoneend"ori'said's f to actuate the trigger mechanism.

By varying the degree to which the nut 47 is tightened, the degree ofadded resistance to the unreeling of the reel 15 may be varied. Theresistance to rotation of the arm 45 may be tested by pivoting this armafter the nut has been tightened; vwith the added adjustable tension,the tip-up may be used under almost any condition and willfunctioireffectivel'yiri still water where no additional frictionisrequired er in rivers where the current is swift and where a baitoficonsiderable size is used. If, duringusefa false si'grial'isexperiencei' 'the apparatus may be raised and the nut 47 may betightened slightly to correct this difliculty. When not in use, the armmay be swung through an arc of degrees to extend upwardly along the mastso that it will not interfere with the usual operation of the apparatus.

accordan e with the patent"statutes, l" have dad the pri ciples of'construction' and operation' of ram enam red 19 se fq h t best mbq mfi' ingfromithe s 'irit'of my'inventio'n." kc am '1. tip-up device including asnpport, a reel supported b' y said support, said"ree l' having aprojection ch" on said support eng ageahl na n l a i):

o aridadjust' ble'jtensioniriean I "d "triggermechan sm for resistingoperation 'd' adjustablteii'sio'ri rrieans comprising anal-1m v "it insuch a'iriafnner that the free end engag's'faliportion'of'lsaid trigmechanism when the trigger is irfoperative position, and'adjii'stablemeans creating tensi o'n upom'aid arm to 'resist'rotation-thereof andthereby resisting rota- ',tio'n ofsaid' trig g'en J ZLYTheicoriStructiondescribed in claim 1 andin which the adjustahlemeans creating tensioncomprises adjiist able jrnetie'n ea'as" encircling the'pivotal'gonriectiofi between said arm andfsaid support gresist pivetal movementthereof;

3. A tip-up si a1 ncluding asupport, a reel pivotally connected tosaid'lsu'ppo rt, said reel having a projection e ei a tri nwhanism m a ll' uiin r d'brf support in. the path of movement of said projection onsa d I flf sa a snie heir a idsubport movable from non-signallingposition to signalling positi n, resilient means nrgin g said signaltoward signaln 'pvs iom m an turnin a Pa t 2 s dtrri p for holdingsaidsignal in' non-signallingpos t 1, and

adi s s l en n me n si .Tn h t at qn 'o i trigger meansby-saidprojectionysaid adjustable tension mean compris n an arm, a p ocoun e ing vQneend of said arm to s aid support in such a mannerthat-the ,free 'end engages a-portion of said trigger mechanism when thetrigger is in operative position; and adjnstable ,friction rneans' onsaid'pivot enga ing said armto resist .P 'YQ imq m n ther 3%"???5 939!the fi 9 th s paten UNITED STATES PATENTS

